


Awkward Puzzle

by laughablyunimportant



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Back Pain, Chronic Pain, Cuddling & Snuggling, M/M, POV Third Person, Pesterlog
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-10
Updated: 2012-06-10
Packaged: 2018-06-04 20:59:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6675247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laughablyunimportant/pseuds/laughablyunimportant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John's hangouts with Dave are interrupted by a flare up of chronic pain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Awkward Puzzle

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for tumblr user Zeborah I think? I'm not sure where they went so I can't message them to check for sure, but it was definitely written for a friend who liked JohnDave and was currently experiencing back pain.

EB: okay but like i don't think anyone really gets it when i say my back hurts!  
EB: it's not just like oh this is kind of achy but i'll get over it  
EB: it's like hard to breathe and stuff!  
EB: even just sitting here kind of hurts.

GG: i'm really sorry john :(  
GG: maybe you should go to the doctor about that or something?

EB: i would but back stuff isn't really covered on my dad's insurance?  
EB: they just refer you to a chiropractor, but then the chiropractor isn't covered.  
EB: and i can't ask my dad to pay for

GG: …?  
GG: john?  
GG: where'd you go?

"Dave, give it back!" Dave hopped over the arm of the couch, landing smoothly on the carpet, just out of John's reach. "No way man, I stole it fair and square."

"There's no such thing as fair stealing!" John considered briefly launching himself straight at Dave, but from the way his back was twinging at just the thought, he knew it wasn't really a good idea. 

"Yes there is man, haven't you every read the thieving handbook? You'd almost think you were under the impression that there's no honor among thieves." Dave backed away a few more steps, keeping an eye on John as he pulled up recent messages on the other boy's phone. "Now let's see what was so important that you couldn't be bothered to watch your stupid movie that you begged me…to…" He trailed off, eyes scanning John's conversation with Harley before his gaze flicked back up to John, glaring at him furiously from the other side of the couch. 

Without a word, Dave walked around until he was standing in front of John, proffering his phone. John snatched it back, going to stuff it in his pocket, but before he got halfway there, Dave had picked the much smaller boy up and flipped him around to lay on his stomach, straddling his ass and pushing up his shirt.

"Dave, what the hell—! Stop iht, oww, geht off me!" Face shoved into the couch cushions, John's words came out muffled and quiet, but Dave still heard them just fine. He ignored them anyway.

"Shhh, only Strider's magic fingers now," he said, continuing to knead at the muscles in John's lower back, trying to feel for knots so he could work them out. 

John stopped wriggling around, his words sounding more despondent than anything. "Dave, I'm serious. Get off me." Dave stopped working at his back, considering. John's next words convinced him. "This is actually kind of hurting me."

Dave swung off fast, stumbling a step as he stood, a mumbled "Shit, sorry" on his lips. 

John pushed himself back up to sitting, wincing as things pinched and stabbed along his back. "Yeah, well, next time maybe ask someone what you can do to help instead of just tackling them and making things worse."

Dave shifted from one foot to the other, guilt making him speak softer than normal. "What can I do to help?" 

John gave him a little apologetic smile. "Nothing, really. It's not like my muscles or anything? Something to do with my uhm, spine. And there are times when it doesn't really hurt much, good days and bad, and I guess, today is just, one of the bad days." He went to give a shrug, wincing and tensing midway through before slowly letting his shoulders drop again.

Dave sat back down on the couch about a foot away, movements too careful. "I could get you some mad pain pills dog. Children's Tylenol and Aleve all up in this bitch til everything's rainbows and sunshine."

John snorted, looking down at his lap. "I'm okay."

Dave scooted a little closer. "I'm serious though. If you really needed the big guns…" John looked up at him, eyes widening behind his glasses. Was Dave offering him drugs? Did Dave have _access_ to drugs? Did he…did he want drugs? 

He pulled at his bottom lip, worrying it with his teeth. "I…don't think that would be a good idea. Without a doctor? I don’t really want to mess around with stuff like that. I just want to, you know, actually feel better." 

Dave nodded, like that's the answer he'd been expecting. "Sounds good. You can let me know if you change your mind, or if…there's anything else I can do to help."

John gave him a wavering smile. "Thanks. Do you think we could maybe watch the movie some other time then? There's really no comfortable way for me to sit on this couch."

"Sure thing. We can just play video games or, or wait no, I guess we can't. Uh." Dave stared back at John. What did they even do besides play video games and watch stupid movies?

John seemed to be reaching the same conclusion. "Sorry," he whispered, head dropping again.

Dave didn't think about it, he just scooted over some more, lifted Egbert, and dropped him right in his lap. John squawked, but didn't fight the movement, too-still and tense when Dave wrapped his arms around to the front of John's chest and pulled him back flush to him. They actually sort of fit…perfectly together? John wasn't that much shorter (okay maybe he was, don't kid yourself John), but what height he did have was mostly in his legs, so sitting down on the bigger boy's lap, he came up to just about Dave's chin. The arms around him felt solid and heavy in a good way, a secure way, and he felt like he could just sort of, relax into him.

"Don't be sorry," Dave muttered into his hair. "Shit sucks, it's not your fault. We'll find something else awesome for us to do."

John had to fight the urge to suppress a giggle. "Actually this is kind of nice. Maybe I should just sit in your lap the whole movie! Hehe." Okay, maybe he didn't fight all that hard.

He could feel Dave move, beneath and behind him, maybe looking down and trying to see his face, but it wasn't really possible in this position. "Seriously?"

"Why not? This is actually pretty alright with me."

Dave paused, silent, before John felt him shift, settling back into the couch, arms around John making him recline a few inches too. "Sure," he said. "Two broskiis just watching a movie together, sitting on eachother's laps. Nothing weird about that."

John snorted. "We don't have to if you don't want. This was just kind of comfortable! But I guess it could be awkward for the king of cool to have a lapful of derp, huh?" he teased, elbowing at Dave behind him.

"Hell no," Dave said. "I've got myself my very own munchkin, I'm never letting go."

John laughed, but he still heard Dave when he buried his face in John's hair and said softly, "Not for anything."


End file.
